Tibet Upper Mekong River Snow Leopard Expedition
Dates: September 16—29, 2023
Cost: $4899 USD per person for this professionally-guided journey
Number of clients: Limited to just 6 clients
Contact: Call us at (+1) 253 289 9166 in the US/Canada, (+44) 20 3239 2917 in the UK, (+61) 2 8003 5630 in Australia or email us for more details at: info@himalayajourney.com
Guides: Ben Cubbage from the US and Tsultrim "Tsebtrim" Rinchen from Eastern Tibet. Ben has spent 10 years living full-time in Eastern Tibet, speaks Chinese and is an expert in Tibetan culture and history. Tsebtrim has led dozens of snow leopard expeditions, including for Disney on their Born in China documentary.
Pictures from our 2019 Expedition: Go to the following link to see some of the pictures clients of ours took on our September 2019 Snow Leopard Expedition: Snow Leopard Picture, and Wildlife Pictures in Tibet
Journey Highlights:
- Snow Leopard viewing on the Tibetan Plateau
- Wildlife such as gazelle, White-lipped deer, wolves, fox, brown bears, Pallas's cat and more
- Birds of prey including Himalayan griffon and Bearded vulture
- Journey to the Spiritual Source of the Mekong River
- Buddhist monasteries and temples
- Traditional Tibetan culture
- Camping and trekking in remote, beautiful areas of the Tibetan Plateau
- Lectures on Tibet history and culture by 2 expert guides
NOTE: Himalaya Journey is a financial supporter of Snow Leopard Trust, which is dedicated to the conservation and protection of snow leopard inhabited areas of the greater Himalaya Region. Himalaya Journey is also a supporter of Leave No Trace. At no time during this expedition will we place wildlife or the environment at risk of danger or destruction.
In September 2023, Himalaya Journey will lead a one-of-a-kind 2 week expedition focusing on sighting and photographing the elusive snow leopard, along with other wildlife and birds of prey native to the Upper Mekong River Region on the high Tibetan Plateau. Many snow leopard expeditions take place in far northern Ladakh in India. However, the number of snow leopards there is quite small and is only in the low hundreds. More than 60% of the world's total wild snow leopard population (over 2500 of them!) live on the Tibetan Plateau, with most of them located in the sparsely populated Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. This remote and high altitude wilderness region is full of natural beauty, cultural significance and is home to large numbers of wild animals.
This journey will begin on September 16, 2023 in the city of Xining (pronounced She-ning), which sits at an altitude of 2300 meters (7500 feet) on the far northeastern Tibetan Plateau. After a night in an international 5 star hotel in Xining, we will fly to the small city of Jyekundo, known as Yushu in Chinese, the next morning. The price of this roundtrip domestic flight is included in the expedition cost. Jyekundo is located in the heart of the Tibetan Plateau and sits at 3700 meters/12,140 feet above sea level. We will spend 3 nights in Jyekundo exploring nearby Buddhist monasteries, pilgrimage destinations and do some light hiking in the surrounding mountains. In Jyekundo, we will stay at a locally-rated 3 star hotels.
We will depart Jyekundo on September 20 and begin the journey to the Upper Mekong River Region. From Jyekundo, we will drive 215 kilometers (135 miles) west to Dzadö (also known as Zaduo). This is a scenic drive thru the mountains that follows some of the Mekong River along the way. In Dzadö, elevation 4075 meters (13,370 feet), we will stay at a centrally located hotel for another night of altitude acclimatization. The next day, September 20, the real journey begins as we leave civilization behind and continue on to the high altitude wilderness of the Upper Mekong River Region, located 125 kilometers (80 miles) away from Dzadö.
We will set up our camp at an altitude of 4340 meters (14,240 feet) in an area that has a considerable snow leopard population. This is a little-known area so it is unlikely we will come across any other people besides the occasional Tibetan nomadic herder. We will spend 4 nights in this area while hiking the region sighting and photographing snow leopards. From this camp, we will then go to the Spiritual Source of the Mekong River, which is a further 50 kilometers deeper into this wilderness region. This is the point of the river that Tibetans regard as the source of the Mekong.
Back in the mid 17th century, the 5th Dalai Lama was passing thru here and declared this area as holy and as the source of the Mekong. Though this source remains debated, for Tibetans it is a very sacred site as the Dalai Lama specifically instructed the local nomad Tibetans to look after and care for the series of small pools that make up the Spiritual Source. This area is known locally as Tashi Chewal, sometimes spelled Zhaxi Qiwa. This area is home to many kinds of wildlife including wolves, Himalayan brown bears, blue sheep, White-lipped deer, musk deer, gazelle, marmots, foxes, Pallas's cats, lynxes, pika, as well as many birds of prey like Himalayan griffon and Bearded vultures.
After a week of camping in the high altitude wilderness of the Tibetan Plateau, we will return to Jyekundo for a final night, staying at a 3 star hotel. The final day of the journey, September 29, will have us fly back to Xining. Our journey will conclude upon arrival to Xining. From Xining, there are daily direct flights to all of China's major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guanzhou, Kunming, Xi'an, Chongqing and more.
NOTE: Himalaya Journey is a strong supporter of Leave No Trace. At no time during this expedition will we place wildlife or the environment at risk of danger or destruction.
Learn more about this journey by calling us at (+1) 253 289 9166 in the US/Canada, (+44) 20 3239 2917 in the UK, (+61) 2 8003 5630 in Australia or email us for more details at: info@himalayajourney.com
Here is the itinerary we will be following:
16 September
All participants must arrive in Xining, China by 4:30pm. Himalaya Journey will give you detailed instructions on how to easily get to the 4 or 5 Star hotel we will be staying at. We will eat dinner together during a time of meet and greet at a restaurant near our hotel. The elevation of Xining is 2300 meters (7500 feet).
17 September
After breakfast, we will depart for the Xining Airport to take a mid/late morning flight to Jyekundo (Yushu in Chinese). The flight is about 75 minutes long and is included in the journey price. In Jyekundo, we will stay at a locally rated 3 star hotel in the middle of town. We will spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the cultural sites in town. The elevation of Jyekundo is 3700 meters (12,140 feet).
18 September
We will spend this day exploring areas just outside of Jyekundo as our bodies continue to adjust to the altitude. Just outside of Jyekundo is the Gyanak Mani Temple, which is a major Buddhist pilgrimage destination. The temple has the world's largest collection of hand-carved prayer stones. Over 2 billion (yes, billion!) prayer stones are stacked here, which draws Tibetans from across the region. From there, we will make the short drive to the Leba, a scenic valley not far from town that has some great day hiking opportunities. We will then return to Jyekundo later in the afternoon.
19 September
Today we will spend another day exploring areas in and around Jyekundo as we continue to acclimatize to altitude. Today, we will do some light hiking just south of town near the Princess Wencheng Temple area. This is a great place to go hiking and learn more about Buddhism and Tibetan culture. This area often has a lot of Himalayan griffons that we can spot. In the afternoon, we will return to Jyekundo for the night
20 September
In the mid morning, we will depart Jyekundo and drive west to the town of Dzadö (Zaduo in Chinese), located 215 kilometers (135 miles) away. Dzadö, elevation 4075 meters (13,370 feet) is the largest town on the far upper reaches of the Mekong River. The drive along the way is spectacular with amazing mountain scenery that follows the Mekong and its main tributaries. In Dzadö we will stay at a hotel (best in town) in the middle part of town.
21—24 September
Today, the real adventure begins! Up to this point we will have seen some amazing cultural sites while our bodies have been adjusting to high altitude, but today is when we leave civilization for some of the best wildlife areas in Asia. From Dzadö, we will drive 125 kilometers (80 miles) to a place known locally as "Tege Camp", elevation 4340 meters (14,240 feet). The road out here is a rough dirt road, but is highly scenic. When we arrive to Tege, we will set up our camp in an area that is considered one of the best in all of the Tibetan Plateau for viewing snow leopards along with many other different types of wildlife and birds of prey (blue sheep, white-lipped deer, Pallas's cats, gazelle, musk deer, marmot, pika, lynx, Himalayan brown bear, foxes, wolves, Himalayan griffon, Bearded vultures and more). There is a chance that we may mix up camping with homestays with local Tibetan nomads. We will spend 4 days at Tege Camp while viewing and photographing snow leopards. We will be doing day hiking in the surrounding mountains each day, but at all times will make sure to not disturb this unique area.
25 September
Today, we will travel another 50 kilometers (31 miles) into the wilderness to a place called Tashi Chewal (known in Chinese as Zhaxi Qiwa). This is regarded as the Spiritual Source of the Mekong River. It sits at an altitude of 4665 meters (15,305 feet) above sea level. The 5th Dalai Lama traveled thru this region in the mid 17th century and declared a set of pools at Tashi Chewal as the source of the Mekong. Modern exploration has traced the true source of the Mekong to a slightly different area, but this area remains sacred to the Tibetan people. This area is rich in wildlife including blue sheep, white-lipped deer, Pallas's cats, gazelle, musk deer, marmot, pika, lynx, Himalayan brown bear, foxes, wolves, and more. We will camp one night near the Spiritual Source of the Mekong. There could be Tibetan nomads in the region that we will meet with to learn more about their unique lifestyle. We will return to Tege Wildlife Camp in the evening time.
26—27 September
After a night at the Spiritual Source of the Mekong, we will return to Tege Camp for 2 more days to view and photograph snow leopards and other wildlife. We will continue to day day hiking in this spectacular region.
28 September
We will break camp in the mid morning and make the drive back to Jyekundo, located 335 kilometers (210 miles) away. In Jyekundo, we will stay at a nice 3 star hotel in the center of town; a welcome site after spending a week in the wilderness of the Tibetan Plateau!
29 September
After breakfast, we will be transported to the Jyekundo (Yushu) Airport to take a flight back to Xining or to Chengdu (choice is yours). There is a slight extra charge if flying to Chengdu. The journey concludes with your flight leaving Jyekundo.
Call us at (+1) 253 289 9166 in the US/Canada, (+44) 20 3239 2917 in the UK, (+61) 2 8003 5630 in Australia or email us for more details at: info@himalayajourney.com
Tibet Snow Leopard Expedition
Dates: September 16—29, 2023
The cost per person is $4899* USD for this professionally-guided journey. Participants are responsible for their own international airfare to and from Xining, China, but we will cover just about everything else after that! This journey is limited to just 6 clients. Send us an email at info@himalayajourney.com to apply for this tour or for any questions you may have.
*Price is slightly higher if the journey has less than 4 clients who join
Pictures from our 2019 Expedition: Go to the following link to see some of the pictures clients of ours took on our September 2019 Snow Leopard Expedition: Snow Leopard Picture, and Wildlife Pictures in Tibet
Included in the price:
- All accommodations (Based on double occupancy. Single room supplement available.)
- Roundtrip airfare from Xining to Jyekundo (Yushu). Slight surcharge to fly out to Chengdu.
- Expert English-speaking Tibetan wildlife guide
- Expert American guide who is a Tibet expert and Wilderness First Responder
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner per itinerary
- Drinking water
- All ground transportation on the Tibetan Plateau from Sept 17—28
- Xining Airport transfer on Sept 17
- Jyekundo Airport transfer on Sept 29
- All meals and accommodations for Tibetan drivers and guides
- All entrance fees per itinerary
- Tents and sleeping bags
- Walkie-talkie radios, first aid kits, oxygen tanks,
- Cook and cooking tent
Not included in the price:
- Passport or Chinese Visa costs
- Binoculars and/or wildlife viewing scopes
- International airfare to/from Xining, China
- Travel vaccinations
- Soft drinks, alcohol beverages, etc (drinking water provided)
- Hotels past the night of Sept 28
- Insurance (travel, medical, rescue, etc)
- Souvenirs or personal items such as laundry, excess baggage fees, snacks, etc
- Gratuities to the Tibetan drivers and guides
Each participant will be sent a list of required and recommended clothing and gear for the expedition that they will be responsible for as well as information on how to obtain a Chinese Tourist Visa. Chinese Tourist Visa must be arranged at least a month before the journey begins. China visas are easy to obtain and can be done in your country of residency.
Your health and well-being: Being experienced high altitude mountain climbers and trekkers who have wilderness medical certifications, we know how important it is to take time to acclimatize to high altitude. Your health and well-being are our TOP priorities, which is why we take several days to acclimatize and adjust to the high altitude. You will have a trained Wilderness First Responder during this expedition. Our staff will be checking on each client daily to make sure they are feeling well and healthy.
Protecting the environment: As supporters of Leave No Trace, we are committed to the protection of the environment and wildlife found on the Tibetan Plateau and other areas of the Himalaya Mountains. We are actively involved with the protection of these fragile regions.
Experience: This is a very active journey that will take place in altitudes between 3700 meters and 4665 meters (12,140 feet and 15,305 feet) above sea level. While carrying a heavy backpack will not be required, clients will be expected to trek between 7 and 10 kilometers (4 and 6 miles) per day while carrying their own equipment (camera, binoculars, snack, water bottle, etc). Much of this journey will require camping in extremely remote wilderness areas at high altitude. While September is generally a drier month, snow can occur and freezing temperatures will occur each night. Members joining this expedition should be reasonably fit, have previous wilderness experience and enjoy camping and the outdoors.
High quality, professionally guided expedition: This is for clients who want to get the most out of their time ion a wildlife viewing adventure. This journey price includes many extras such as 4 or 5 star hotel in Xining, upgraded hotels, all meals, all bottled drinking water, expert English speaking Tibetan wildlife guide, expert foreign guide who is certified as a Wilderness First Responder and an expert in Tibetan culture and history and much more! Each day, clients will learn more about different aspects of Tibetan religion, culture and history so they can fully understand the places and people they are seeing and experiencing as well as go to one of the best places in the mountains of Asia for wildlife viewing.
Accommodations: In Xining, we will stay at a highly rated 4 or 5 star rated international hotel. In towns such as Jyekundo and Dzadö, we will stay at the best hotel that each place offers. These hotels are clean and comfortable with private bathrooms and showers, however, due to their incredibly remote location these hotels can be below international standards. For the week that we will be out in the mountains viewing wildlife, we will be camping in tents, but we might also do a homestay with local Tibetans. While we are camping, showering will not be possible.
Meals: For this tour, we will be eating a variety of Chinese and Tibetan food. While camping, we will be cooking both fresh food and having some pre-made, freeze dried meals by Mountain House. We will provide all drinking water during the journey and will also have fresh fruit most days. Clients will be responsible for their own snacks between meals.
Responsible Tourism: Himalaya Journey is joint Tibetan-American owned adventure company. All of our guides and drivers are local Tibetans who have been working in tourism for many years. The preservation of the culture of Tibet, as well as the protection of the environment of Tibet, are extremely important to us. In fact, when we are not out leading journeys across Tibet, we are working with local Tibetans in numerous eco-tourism and conservation projects.
Take a moment to read more about us and why ethical tourism in the Himalaya is so important to us: Why Use Us?
Ben Cubbage has lived full-time on the Tibetan Plateau for nearly 10 years working in education, community development and tourism. He has vast trekking experience across the Himalaya in Tibet and Nepal, including the Upper Mekong River Region. Ben will be giving detailed lectures on Tibetan culture and history throughout this journey and will share personal stories of his 10 years living among the Tibetans. His goal is to help clients understand, appreciate, and respect the people and cultures they photograph and explore. Ben is trained as a Wilderness First Responder from NOLS Wilderness Medicine. He is originally from the State of Maryland in the US.
Joining Jamin on this journey is Tsultrim "Tsebtrim" Rinchen, a Tibetan wildlife and cultural expert from Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. He has led several dozen snow leopard and wildlife journeys over the past 14 years. He has worked for BBC on Mekong with Sue Perkins documentary as well as Disney's Born in China Documentary, which spotlights snow leopards in the Upper Mekong. He spent over 5 months in the mountains viewing snow leoards while working on the Disney project. There is no other Tibetan with more experience with snow leopard journeys than him! Tsebtrim is fluent in English and studied eco-tourism at Columbia University in the US. He is based in Jyekundo in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet.
Independent reviews of Himalaya Journey can be found on our official Facebook Page in the following link: Himalaya Journey Reviews
I just got back from an amazing trip to Tibet and Bhutan, with a quick stop in Nepal in between. I've been to over 90 countries, and this was unquestionably one of the best experiences I've ever had; I can't say enough good things about Jamin York, Ashok Shahi and the whole team at Himalaya Journey.
I should note upfront that I almost always travel independently, and was a bit concerned when I realized in my planning for this trip that you simply can't go to Tibet and Bhutan without the involvement of some sort of tour company. I did a lot of research before settling on Himalaya Journey, and I'm incredibly glad that I did. Jamin worked with me to custom design an itinerary that would get me and my travel partner to all of the places that we most wanted to see in Tibet - and provided loads of helpful input on spots that we might want to add or delete from the trip given our various interests and constraints. When I later decided that I might want to add Bhutan to the trip, Ashok entered the picture and I was able to seamlessly add that country on to my itinerary.
Once we arrived in Tibet, we were delighted to meet Rinzin, our knowledgeable and incredibly diligent guide (as well as our endlessly cheerful driver, Lhapa). As we proceeded from the Lhasa area down to EBC and the Nepali border, any concerns I may have had about a guided tour dissipated; indeed, even if it had been possible, our experience would have been far less satisfying and meaningful absent everything Rinzin brought to the trip. We also were able to observe what our very personalized Tibet experience was like in comparison to the cookie-cutter itineraries of the large group tours we sometimes encountered...reinforcing our appreciation for the approach that Himalaya Journey takes.
When we reached Nepal, any angst regarding that potentially tricky border crossing was completely removed by the Himalaya Journey staff on both sides of the border (Ashok himself came all the way up from Kathmandu to shepherd us across the Himalaya). I then headed on to Bhutan, where I was met by another fantastic team led by Tika, an exceptionally amiable and well-versed guide. Again, it was easy to distinguish between the very personalized experience I was having in Bhutan and the more cookie-cutter itineraries that I would encounter from time to time with larger tour groups. It was clear that the quality and depth of the Himalaya Journey experience was consistent in all three of the countries that I visited despite the fact that the nations themselves are so different.
In sum, I would strongly recommend Himalaya Journey to anyone considering a visit to any of these countries. Namaste and Tashi Delek!
Our trip to Tibet & Nepal was possibly the most amazing trip of our lives. These are parts of the world you need to be introduced to, you don’t end up visiting as a casual tourist and you’ll certainly need a guide. When we researched our trip it seemed that “all the roads lead to Jamin” and to Himalaya Journey - and rightly so.
Jamin is incredibly experienced and charismatic. He leads from the heart and speaks from his own, very unique, personal experience. It was important for us to know that our visit was going to benefit the people of Tibet and we were delighted to find out that Jamin cares about that very much. Jamin’s guides, Nyima Dolma and Jamyung in Tibet and Ashok in Kathmandu were also so knowledgable and simply amazing with their kindness and attentiveness. We feel so happy and honoured to have met them.
There were many highlights on this trip, from experiencing the holy city of Lhasa to finally seeing Everest (I’m obsessed with all things Everest) but mostly we loved experiencing people’s kindness and hospitality. I truly can’t wait to travel with Himalaya Journey once again and would recommend travelling with them in a heartbeat.
We miss you Jamin & everyone at Himalaya Journey!
Lucia—Italy—May 2018
Almost without exception, travels have both an objective and certain expectations that need be met for the outcome to be judged successful. For me a ‘journey’ implies somewhat more than this….there is a sense of challenging the unknown, including one’s own inner self. And then if you add to ‘journey’ the word ‘Himalaya’, one of the world’s most majestic and inspiring regions with landscapes that are often beyond belief, then you have something very, very special indeed.
Prior to October 2016 I had travelled solo, with a guide and transportation, on all my journeys, including the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), giving me the flexibility and freedom to stop at will, modify plans and so on. But having vowed to go back to the far west of the TAR (Ngari) to do the kora of Mount Kailash and visit the Guge Kingdom I was faced with exorbitant costs if travelling alone. I knew I had to find an alternative, and that alternative proved to be Himalaya Journey.
I had been in touch with Jamin York, Himalaya Journey’s Owner and Lead Guide, several times previously with general questions about travelling in ‘Greater Tibet’ and so it somehow seemed natural to approach him regarding making my Kailash dream materialize. One thing led to another and by the time 2015 melted into 2016 I was committed to joining Jamin’s small (10 person) group embarking on a 23-day journey in October which would take us across the TAR from Lhasa slowly westwards via Everest and Shishapangma Base Camps to Lake Manasarovar, Mount Kailash and the Guge Kingdom, and then back…a total land journey of around 4,000km.
My initial concerns about being in a group and having to keep to a strict schedule proved groundless. Jamin was only too willing to stop for sudden photo ops—the appearance of a Tibetan fox, a glorious view, a nomad encampment and so on. He also actively encouraged us to explore on our own when the itinerary permitted: in my case that meant spending special moments wandering through the Barkor in Lhasa and watching sunrise on the shore of Manasarovar.Only once were we ‘chivvied’ in any sense, and that was during the Kailash kora on top of the Drolma-la. Jamin, with his vast experience of the mountains, was aware not only of the time constraints that day but more importantly that staying too long at that altitude (5,630m/ around 18,400’) was not to be recommended.
From a practical standpoint, everything throughout the journey was seamlessly arranged: we travelled in a small bus which gave us space to spread out and with a driver whose skills made going over 5,000m+ high passes again and again seem effortless! The hotels and guest houses, especially once we got beyond Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse, were always the best available: I had paid a single room supplement, fully expecting to have to share in these remote areas, so I was delighted that there were only two nights on which I could not have some much appreciated privacy. The meals were generally of a high standard, and even in Ngari Jamin managed to rustle something tasty up for us or produce snack bars and packets of instant oatmeal out of his proverbial hat.
What also emerged strongly throughout our journey was Jamin’s love for and commitment to Tibet and its people, not to mention his in-depth knowledge.His assistant on our journey, Nordrup, was himself Tibetan; we frequented Tibetan-owned restaurants, hotels and guesthouses whenever possible; and Jamin, fluent in Tibetan as well as Mandarin, regaled us while we were on the road with both incidents from Tibetan history and his own personal experiences of living there.
It was an unforgettable journey…indeed, although I left Tibet many weeks ago now, my journey is still on-going as I look back at my photos and notebook and try to weave it all into a story on my laptop.
I have the greatest respect and admiration for Jamin both as a person and journey-leader and have no reservations at all in recommending him and his company. Indeed, I hope to join him again in the future on a journey to Ladakh, ‘Little Tibet’: I believe that is the strongest recommendation of all.
Lesley—UK—October 2016
The trip far exceeded my expectations and I will definitely use Himalaya Journey again. I highly recommend Himalaya Journey to others who want to experience this hauntingly beautiful place called Tibet!
Sue—USA—October 2016
I’d have to use a ridiculous number of superlatives to honestly describe the quality of my recent journey with Jamin York and Himalaya Journey. In the interest of being believable, I’ll try to rein it in, but it will be a task I’m not sure I can manage! For me, this was a journey that I (and a couple friends) have spent many years and two failed attempts trying to accomplish. The permits were just not to be had, and we were beginning to feel that the idea must be abandoned. Then we discovered Jamin’s excellent website and, after a number of emails with him, began to feel confident that it could become a reality. I just completed a 23-day journey, led by Jamin and his wonderful guide Ngodup, that not only fulfilled my hope to complete the kora of Mt. Kailash and a visit to the lost Guge Kingdom, but took us across the length of the Tibetan Himalaya from Everest Base Camp to nearly the Indian border in far west Tibet. He even threw in Shishapangma Base Camp at the request of our group.
Each day, every step of the way, revealed such wondrous gifts, some expected and others a complete surprise. This journey, and the itinerary designed by Jamin and Ngodup, had it all, from monasteries and lost citadels, to landscapes beyond imagination: mountains, badlands, sand dunes, vast plateaus, and sacred lakes. And then there were our “Tibet 101” talks: Jamin and Ngodup each have a deep and personal knowledge which was shared each day as we traveled or walked; they taught us so much about the culture, geology, and history of Tibet and its people; and each shared many personal stories as well. Jamin has a heartfelt love for the Tibetan people that was evident in every way. Jamin cares genuinely and deeply about the quality of the experience his journeys provide, and he makes it his responsibility to see that both the physical and emotional needs of his travelers are met. His attention to detail in all matters was clear to see. I have never before joined a group that was not organized by myself, and I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise. I never felt that we were being herded around and there was, for the most part, enough flexibility in the days and the schedule to allow personal time and space.
I imagine that every traveler in our group felt “heard” and “seen” and that his or her unique expectations for this journey had been fulfilled. I can say that for me, the experience was transcendent. I would recommend Jamin’s Himalaya Journey without reservation to anyone wanting to travel in Tibet – or anywhere he offers to travel!
Karla—USA—October 2016
Jamin York leads a fantastic trip beyond the usual (and including!) sites of Lhasa. He takes great pains to preview routes, lodging and restaurants in person and is careful to limit his group to a comfortable ten. His attention to detail has him preparing contingency plans for any circumstance he can think of. His knowledge of the Chinese and Tibetan languages eased our way through the expected and unexpected. Nothing is sugar-coated as the journey can be rough and uncomfortable at times, but if there was comfort in the area, we had it! Jamin also has the uncanny ability to arrange for perfect weather and the tastiest of Tibetan cuisine.
On advance request he added a side trip to Shishapangma Base Camp which ended up being a popular highlight on a stunning day. The extension to the lost citadel of the Guge Kingdom was the holy grail of photographic opportunities. On second thought, most of the trip was like this!
Even though it can be close to impossible to deviate from “The Plan” due to restrictions, Jamin and Nordrup facilitated spontaneous interactions with Tibetans along the way, from the barley harvesters and millers to the nomads and their yaks.
Nancy—USA—October 2016
Our safety, health, and happiness were always a top priority and Jamin is a top notch tour leader in every sense of the word. I can’t imagine a better person in this role!
I took my dream trip to Tibet and Mt. Everest with Jamin and Himalaya Journey this April. From the minute we landed in Lhasa to the birthday banquet in a Tibetan home restaurant on the last day, his staff and friends surrounded us like a big family. He is truly their brother.
The photography time was not just for the magnificent and mystified monasteries. It included Himalaya mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, and villages, etc. We even stopped by a farming field one time and participated in their plowing and seeding activities.
The Mt. Everest sunrise photo experience was a well thought-out plan. Spending the night before in a nearby Tibetan home and mingling with the entire family was quite an experience. We played hide and seek with the neighboring children on the street. We chatted with village shepherds in the field herding their sheep home and showing off their baby sheep. When we headed out to catch the sunrise, the full moon lit up the entire village.
Jamin is a natural when it comes to telling stories. He preps us on the history, religion, culture and politics of Tibet. But what really connects us to this land and its people are his stories of his Tibetan friends, their struggles and triumphs. We also engaged in questioning and debating with gusto, Sera Monastery monk style, ha, ha, ha.
Ruth—USA/Taiwan—April 2016
I highly recommend travelling with Jamin and his Himalaya Journey team to Tibet. He cares about Tibetans and and he cares about Tibet, a country which has an inherent fascination for many. Jamin has lived in Tibet for many years and has visited the iconic attractions on numerous occasions. He willingly shares his knowledge and insights about their history and cultural significance. Despite his familiarity he brings a fresh approach and willingness to engage. His team are a credit to him, particularly the exuberant Jampa. His staff member Woaber helped me ensure Lhasa has forever a place in my heart and …… our bus driver was safe and considerate. And let’s not forget the energetic Will, assistant guide on this trip. I didn’t expect to eat as well as I did when visiting Tibet nor did I expect to experience the comfort in the hotels that were used. These aspects were of course a pleasant surprise. The memories of this trip from Lhasa to Everest base camp will be long lasting and thought provoking.
Richard—UK—April 2016
I’ve been a follower of Jamin on Instagram since 2013. Initially, it was my mom’s dream to see Mt Everest, but ended up doing this trip on my own because I knew that Jamin was a professional, trust worthy expert on Tibet. I usually never join small group tours, as I always travel on my own. But, joining this journey made me realize that not all group tours are the same after all. I met people on this journey that I will call my friends for life. Jamin is indeed the best travel coordinator that I have ever met. I went to Tibet to just see Mt Everest, but I came back home not just with great photos and videos, but with a person I can always look up to who is making a huge impact in Tibet by promoting and showing it to the world in an ethical way. I also work in the travel industry, but am still quite young. I am not sure if I can ever be quite like Jamin who does this business not just to make money for himself, but to help the Tibetan people in every possible way he can. He is an inspiration. I finally found my hero in this crazy competitive travel industry.
Angely from Access Tours and Travels—Phillippines—April 2016
Two years ago, I almost gave up my life-long dream of going to Tibet. But it is completely revived when I discovered Jamin’s blog (The Land of Snows) and his Instagram page.
Jamin is a fantastic leader right from the beginning of the trip, when I emailed him, till the very end of this incredible journey. His passion and vast knowledge about the Tibetan culture, history, religion, and the careful planning of the trip, has made this journey an enriching one. And I truly admire his support for the Tibetan community, where we stay and dine in Tibetan-run hotels/restaurants. Last but not least, his great sense of humour and captivating life stories always add colour to every day of our trip!
Our Tibetan guide, Jampa, is also a fantastic guide who passionately shares a lot of knowledge about Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism with us. As a Buddhist, I have learned so much about Tibetan Buddhism from her. She’s just a wonderful, kind and fun person to be with! I am grateful to have her as our Tibetan guide for this trip.
All in all, Jamin and Jampa are two wonderful guides/friends/teachers that I met through this trip. And they are definitely two people that I am glad to have crossed paths with in life.
The ten days spent in Tibet have been truly an adventure of a lifetime, and a spiritually enlightening experience for me. The stunning landscape and unique culture of Tibet is a feast for the eyes, while the devotion of the Tibetans feels like a comforting prayer for the soul. The resilience, devotion and compassion of the Tibetans will stay and go far with me in life. I highly recommend Jamin and his Himalaya Journey team to lead your trip to Tibet. And I already can’t wait to go for another adventure with them! Thank you once again for the most amazing journey of my life.
Adhianto—Indonesia—April 2016
